In a recent ruling, the UK High Court levied a significant fine of £10,000 against Adil Raja, a controversial figure on YouTube. This penalty followed Raja’s unsuccessful appeals in a defamation case brought against him by Brigadier (Retired) Rashid Nasir.
Raja’s efforts to dismiss the defamation charges proved fruitless as the court upheld the case against him, ordering him to cover all associated expenses including costs, contempt of court fines, and security fees.
The court found Raja guilty of disseminating profoundly defamatory remarks against Rashid Nasir across nine publications on social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter/X.
Despite appearing in court alongside his legal representative and PTI UK leader Mehtab Anwar Aziz via video link, Raja’s pleas were summarily dismissed by Deputy High Court Judge Richard Spearman.
The judge mandated Raja to pay £5,000 to the plaintiff, setting a deadline of April 17, 2024, for the fine payment.
Furthermore, the court ruled that all accusations leveled by Adil Raja against Brigadier (Retired) Rashid Nasir were baseless and inaccurate, necessitating Raja to present compelling evidence to support his claims.
Additionally, Raja’s requests to secure £150,000 in funds and maintain witness confidentiality were both denied by the court.
This legal saga stemmed from Raja’s initiation of a targeted campaign against the Pakistani army officer on various social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Facebook, starting in June 2022. Subsequently, Retired Brigadier Rashid filed a case through his UK legal representation on August 11, 2022.
